Stopper for pipe lines



July 14, 1931. A. FENNEMA STOPPER FOR PIPE LINES Filed May 3, 1930MIIZIZQES Patented July 14, 1931 UlE SAYS ALBERT FENNEMA, or KEnosnA,Wisconsin STOPPER non, rien Linus Application filed May 3, 1930. SerialNo. 449,542.

This invention relates to improvements in stoppers for pipe lines andmore particularly to an inflatable stopper for gas pipes.

One of the objects of the invention is the a provision of a pipe stopperwhich can be quickly and easily inserted through a tap opening in a gasmain and inflated in order to provide a stopper for the main andincludes means for properly retaining the inllated member securely inthe main so as to provide an eflicient stopper.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a stopper of thischaracter, which includes an inflatable bulb applied to a comparativelyrigid stem, the bulb being inserted into a gas main through an openingtapped for the purpose and the rigid tube retained in operative positionby means of a stopper adapted to be fitted in the tapped opening 29around the tube, so as to properly center the bulb with respect to themain and then inflate the bulb until the exterior thereof is broughtinto intimate contact with the inner wall of the main, thus forming acomplete stopper for the gas main.

VJith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, the combination and arrange ment ofparts hereinafter more fully set forth,

30 pointed out in the claim and shown in the accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device, illustrating aportion of the gas main in cross section; and showing how the deviceplaced in position, and

Figure 2 is a similar View with the improved stopper in operativeposition.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 indicates a gas main andat any desired point within the main there 1s a tap opening 2. Thestoppers in use at the present time, which include an inflatable bulb,usually have attached thereto a flexible tube which is inserted throughthe opening 2 in the gas main and, consequently, it is rather difficultto properly center the bulb so that when it is inflated, it will providean effic ent stopper,

It is, therefore, one of the mam ob ects of this invention to provideimproved means for 0 properly centering the bulb in the gas maln sothatwhen it is inflated, it will have its exterior moved into intimatecontact with the interior ofthe pipe or main, and the in, flation willequalize this contact throughout the circumference of the bulb due tothe proper centering of the bulb by means of the stem attached thereto.V In the present instance, the bulb 3 is preferably of rubberand adaptedto be inflated to the position shown in Figure 2. The bulb has aflexible tubular stem 4 and passed through this stem is one end of anangular tube 5 which extends into the bulb 3 and projects nearly thefull length of the bulb,- as illustrated in Figure 2, while the otherend of the tube 5 passes out through the opening 2 and is connected to avalve 6 which controls the pressure of air through the conduit Z thatleads to the usual type of pump.

It will be noted that after the opening 2 has been formed in the main 1,the bulb 3 in its deflated position can be rolled around one end of thetube 5 and inserted through the opening 2, as shown in Figure 1. Inorder to support the tube 5 in proper position for centering the bulb 3,a plug 8 is mounted upon one end of the tube 5 and is adapted to fitwithin the opening 2. This plug 8 is slidably mounted upon the tube 5 sothat as soon as the tube is properly positioned with regard to thecenter of the gas main, the plug 8 is fitted within the opening 2 forretaining the tube in proper position. After the inner end of the tubeand the bulb 3 have been properly centered with respect to the gas main,air is admitted into the tube 5 by means of the valve 6, and as soon asthe tube has been inflated, the valve can be turned to cut off thesupply of air and, if found desirable, the conduit 7 can be removed fromthe valve portion and the bulb 3 all-owed to remain in the pipe or main.

Upon deflation, the bulb can be easily removed by tilting the tube 5 tothe position shown in Figure 1. It has been found that by using acomparatively stiff tube for supporting the bulb in position that thebulb can be quickly centered and retained in a central position by meansof the plug 8, and when the bulb is inflated it will provide a veryeflicient stopper for the gas main. The device is extremely simple andcan be manufactured and placed on the market at a very low cost, and asthe tube 5 is a comparatively rigid tube, it will securely hold the bulb3 in a central position and prevent the same from moving about whilebeing inflated, so that when it is inflated, the exterior thereof willcontact equally throughout the inner circumference of the gas main.

One of the principal advantages of this invention is the fact that thebulb can be inserted into the gas main and the plug 8 can then bepositioned in the tap opening 2 to cut off any gas escaping through thisopening, and it will not be necessary to inflate the bulb until desired.l/Vith the use of various types of pipe line stoppers now in the market,it is necessary to immediately inflate the bulb after the same has beenplaced in the gas main, due to the fact that no provision is made forclosing the tap opening through which the device is inserted.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be apparent that slight changes may be made in theconstruction when putting the invention into practice without departingfrom the spirit of the same or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A gas main stopper including an inflatable bulb having a flexible stem,a rigid tube having one end passed through the stem and into the ball,the ends of said tube being diposed at right angles to each other with acurved portion between said ends, and a yieldable plug slidably mountedupon the other end of the tube.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atKen-osha, in the county of Kenosha and State of WVisconsin.

ALBERT FENNEMA.'

